Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 173

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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173
“Brixel! The Giant Race cannot live in such cramped quarters! Didn’t you promise to provide us with more space?”
Ricaros, who had possessed a physical form decades ago, protested to Brixel.
Though his body had been compressed to a smaller size, he remained the most formidable among the Giant Race—beings called giants wielding divine power.
“Lord Ricaros, I wish I could do as you ask. But what can I do when the Ark’s space is limited? Surely you’re not asking me to take space from the other residents?”
“That… that’s not it, but if I was going to die in agony like this, I would have chosen to die in my homeland rather than board the Ark!”
When Brixel first persuaded them to board the Ark, he claimed there was ample space, yet none was allocated to the Giant Race. Since then, he had made promises to provide it several times, but Brixel merely kept postponing.
“I understand the suffering of the Giant Race. Could you endure it until we replenish resources for spatial expansion from another planet?”
“We can’t hold on any longer! As one who was rescued, I don’t wish to complain! But it’s not good for the children to remain in compressed form! Moreover, three warriors have already died from prolonged compression!”
The Giant Race could reduce their body size, but since it wasn’t their natural form, remaining compressed for extended periods caused physical strain.
Warriors of reversal who had survived the invasion army’s assault were dying aboard like invalids. It would have been better to charge at the Destruction God’s jaws with sword in hand.
“Sigh… then would you help me with my work? If you do, I’ll make space for you even if it requires effort.”
“What?”
“It’s a very simple task for the Giant Race.”
Ricaros disliked the artificial smile painted on Brixel’s doll-like face. Yet because Brixel had saved the survivors of the destroyed Giant Race’s planet, he had no choice but to accept his demand.
* * *
Crash!
Ricaros kicked open the door and stormed in.
“Seize them all!”
Giant Race warriors poured into the house behind Ricaros.
“Get the Child to the back! Warriors, hold off the Giant Race!”
Ogre warriors blocked the surging Giant Race. Though the ogres were larger in stature, the Giant Race’s strength was incomparable to theirs.
Originally standing tens of meters tall, the Giant Race could only use a fraction of their power while compressed, yet even that was sufficient to subdue ogres as easily as children.
An ogre swung a crude club studded with spikes, and Ricaros caught it bare-handed. The sharp spikes on the club bent uselessly without piercing his hand.
Ricaros pulled the club, dragging the ogre forward, and drove his fist into its chest.
The ogre’s massive body flew lightly and crashed into the wall.
The difference in weight class was overwhelming. Within the Ark, none could match the Giant Race’s strength.
After capturing even the ogre’s child and heading outside, the Ark’s residents watched them with worried eyes.
“We’ve apprehended those who were embezzling precious food supplies, so the Ark’s residents need not worry!”
He bound the ogres and handed them over to Brixel.
“Thank you. If I used force directly, it wouldn’t look very good.”
“Now will you provide us with more space?”
“Of course.”
Brixel created an expanded space with increased height in one section of the Ark.
“Ahh! Now I can truly live!”
Ricaros released his compression and stretched. How long had it been since his hands didn’t touch the ceiling?
Though the Ark was vast, because it housed multiple races, there had been no space for the Giant Race to fully decompress and move freely until now.
“I’m glad you’re satisfied. However, creating this space required effort on my part as well. Will you continue to help me with my work?”
It felt unsettling, but it was difficult to abandon freedom once tasted.
From then on, Ricaros and the Giant Race assumed responsibility for maintaining order within the Ark according to Brixel’s demands.
They arrested those who embezzled or wasted food, those who committed crimes, and those who attempted to expand their influence and carve out territories within the Ark.
No race could dare oppose the Giant Race, so they served as the Ark’s police and military forces.
“… Something feels wrong about this.”
“What troubles you, sir?”
At Ricaros’s words, his loyal subordinate Exbog inquired further.
“The humans we arrested today. Didn’t they cry out that they were innocent?”
“Commander, have you ever seen a criminal admit, ‘I committed this crime’?”
“But….”
“Commander, do not forget. We need space. Or would you prefer we wage war to seize control of the Ark?”
“That’s not it….”
Setting aside the debt of gratitude for being admitted to the Ark, even with the immense power the Giant Race possessed, their small numbers could not afford to make enemies of the endless refugees scattered throughout the entire Ark. Moreover, the power that Brixel wielded remained unfathomed.
Unable to shake off the discomfort, I proceeded with the next task.
“Giant Race, open your eyes! Brixel is a demon who devours souls!”
“Tsk…. Another conspiracy theory? It feels like they’ve been increasing lately.”
“Commander, isn’t our work justified precisely because of these fools?”
The claims that Brixel devours souls all sounded identical, as if rehearsed. To forget gratitude toward one’s savior—these shameless wretches.
“True words, sir. Shouldn’t we capture the ringleader before this spreads further?”
“Hmm….”
I was troubled by how identical the conspiracy theorists’ words were. It was clear that the ringleader, as Exbog suggested, was spreading rumors across the Ark while evading capture.
“Commander! We’ve finally found the ringleader!”
“What? How?!”
Despite extensive searching, the Giant Race had found no leads. Even interrogating those captured yielded nothing—as if their memories had been erased.
“A golem noticed something strange and discovered it. Let’s go quickly. Once we capture this one, our workload should decrease.”
Following Exbog’s words, I led my subordinates toward the ringleader’s dwelling.
“Is this the right place?”
Deep within the forest, far from where people lived, stood a dilapidated house that looked as though it might collapse at any moment—clearly built by someone with no craftsmanship.
“Absolutely certain.”
Exbog nodded in confirmation.
“We are Giant Race warriors! The one who spread conspiracy theories about Brixel—come out at once!”
At my shout, the house trembled.
“…My ears work just fine.”
From the house emerged an Old Woman with white hair, picking at her ear.
“Finally, it’s over…. Go ahead, take me.”
The Old Woman extended both hands toward me, telling me to take her away.
“Hmm…. If you come quietly without resistance, Brixel will show you mercy.”
“Ha. That one?”
The Old Woman scoffed, yet she neither withdrew her outstretched hands nor attempted to flee.
The moment Ricaros and Exbog grasped the Old Woman’s wrists.
The Old Woman’s memories flooded into Ricaros’s mind.
The Old Woman—or rather, the woman in those memories who was middle-aged—had been a refugee like Ricaros, evacuating from a dying planet to the Ark. Grateful to her savior Brixel, she had lived a peaceful life on the Ark, not abundant but lacking nothing.
Many years had passed, and as various buildings rose, the Villages grew cramped. The Forest could not be encroached upon—it was vital for the Ark’s air supply—so habitable space remained severely limited.
“It’s rather tight, isn’t it? We have newly expanded areas available. If anyone wishes to relocate, please speak up.”
Many young people moved to the new settlement that Brixel had proposed.
Golems took their place. They occupied far less space than humans, required no food, and worked efficiently.
Though I worried about losing so many young people, life became more convenient.
The problem arose when I touched one of those golems.
“They work so hard for us, yet they’re covered in filth like this….”
I wiped the golem’s dirt-caked face with a cloth.
“Good heavens! This… what is this?! You… you!”
I felt the soul trapped within the golem. It was one of the young people who had relocated to the New Settlement with Brixel not long ago.
As The Witch, I used mind reading to examine the other golems as well, and confirmed they were all residents of the Ark.
I learned much from the golem. That the Ark was divided into three layers. That Brixel had taken residents to the lower levels and stolen their bodies. That he had extracted their souls and bound them to golems.
Brixel claimed to be saving them, yet he was a thief stealing souls and resources—a murderer. But what I saw in those memories revealed more than just his crimes. I discovered just how terrifyingly powerful he truly was.
The Old Woman fell silent, gripped by fear. I lowered my head and pretended ignorance. What would happen if Brixel learned of this?
“The dead are beyond saving. There’s nothing I can do for them now….”
I lived for ten years, suppressing my conscience.
Ten years felt like fifty. The middle-aged woman’s hair had turned white from worry and guilt, and both body and spirit deteriorated.
But when he tried to take half the residents again, the weight of additional guilt threatened to crush me. I could bear it no longer.
“No! You cannot go!”
I risked everything to stop them.
“Grandmother Witch, we’ve never heard you speak before. Grandmother, this place is cramped anyway. You don’t need to go. We’ll leave instead.”
In the original world, I had been called The Witch and endured endless contempt and scorn.
“You cannot go, I’m telling you!”
I grasped at the young man’s sleeve.
“She must be senile. The rest of us will have a hard time.”
“Don’t worry about us. Go carefully.”
The villagers bid farewell as though it were nothing. They simply distributed more resources to those departing, as would be needed for settlement.
“No… you cannot! Brixel will kill you and take your souls! You won’t come back if you go!”
“Wait a moment….”
Several of the older residents paused to listen. The Witch was reluctant to read others’ memories, but her ability was genuine.
Many had survived while the Destruction God’s forces ravaged the world, thanks only to her power.
“Grandmother Witch, where did you hear that?”
“There are souls inside the golems! If you’re captured, you’ll become golems and return!”
“Isn’t she just senile?”
Even those preparing to leave paused as the atmosphere grew strange, setting down their belongings and beginning to murmur among themselves.
“Mind your tongue. Our family would be dead without that grandmother.”
“But she’s quite elderly. Things might be different for her?”
“She may be senile, but it could be true.”
“Uncle, where would a soul be in a golem? Look at this.”
One of the young men about to relocate tapped the golem’s forehead as though knocking on a door.
“No… Stop! Don’t do this!”
The Witch shrieked convulsively.
“Huh?”
The young man glanced down at his abdomen. The golem’s hand had pierced straight through his belly, and blood seeped across the pristine clothes he’d worn for his departure.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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